Redwoods Road Tour & Hwy 299

June 13, 2018

2018 turned out to be the year of tree themed road tour events. The first of these road tours being the Redwoods Road Tour. This was a modified version of one of the very first road tours we did under the new club name. Starting in a new location, the group headed to Point Reyes to see one of the most well known lighthouses on the West Coast, Point Reyes Lighthouse. For the drive there we took some typical fun back roads, but the drive to the light house was rougher than usual as the road is barley maintained. There was also a small water crossing that made for a “oh my!” moment. Despite the rough road and the water, the stop at the lighthouse was clear of clouds, providing us with spectacular views and some amazing photo opportunities. From the lighthouse, the group headed to lunch before taking on the drive section of the day.

Heading north along the coastal HWY 1, the group had several open sections for some fun driving. We had three stops planned. The first stop was at the tallest lighthouse on the west coast, Point Arena Lighthouse. The second was at Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, and the third stop was in the town of Mendocino for an ice cream break. The end of the day was in Fort Bragg to rest and refuel before the Redwoods Day.

Day two started with the group splitting into a drivers group and tour group. The first 40 miles away from the coast were on fun and fast roads that had everyone smiling. Regrouping at the highway, we headed north to hit the Avenue of the Giants. We made our way down this scenic road and stopped to check out some of the amazing wonders of this area, such as the Drive Thru Tree and Founders Grove.

After completing the Avenue of the Giants, the group stopped for lunch at the Banana Hut in Eureka, which is an amazing stop for some true Hawaiian food flare. Following lunch, we made our way up the coast to the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center, where we spent a little time exploring the beach. We then made our way to our last stop at Lady Bird Johnson Grove where we enjoyed a leisurely hike through the beautiful redwood forest. From here we all made our way back into Eureka for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

The last day of the trip was all about driving. Heading east, we drove 160 miles of exciting twisty roads. One thing that loomed over the trip was a pending rain storm, which was now closing in. Despite hitting a small section of drizzle, we seemed to be able to stay just a little ahead of the storm throughout the drive. The one and only stop of the day was at the Bigfoot museum. While we were able to see “Bigfoot” standing tall outside the museum, we were unable to enter as the museum was not yet open. We finished the trip in Redbluff, where we came together for a final lunch before the group members parted ways to make their trek home. After three days of driving and amazing sites, it was sad to see the event come to a close. However, there is always the next drive to go on.